Mouse Museum
Encyclopedia
The Myshkin National Ethnographic Museum ( Myshkinsky Narodny Etnografichesky Muzey) is located in the ancient city of Myshkin
in Yaroslavl Region, Russia
. Established in 1990, it is also uniquely known as the Mouse Museum for its collection of 2,000 mouse
-related items from all over the globe. Mice made of various materials using diverse art techniques form a unique collection. Pieces have been gathered from different countries. In 1996, Myshkin held The International Festival "Mouse-96".
Every decade or so, when it is the Year of the Mouse
in the Chinese calendar
, the town also holds a big celebration. The last such event was in 2008 and among the celebrants was President Dmitry Medvedev
, who had a private tour of the town and was given a copy of The Town Named Mouse, an illustrated children's book in separate Russian and English editions written by Robert Aronson and illustrated by Marina Zorina.
The nonprofit Museum of the Mouse staff have also created and operate four other museums nearby--the Museum of Navigation, the Museum of Unique Machines (including an American school bus from Indiana), an outdoor Museum of Wooden Architecture and a Museum dedicated to the inventor of vodka, Smirnoff.
The website of the Museum of the Mouse is www.myshkingrad.ru (only in Russian, but with photos. The King-Myshaus site also operates a virtual Kingdom MouseLand. Contrary to reports, although there was a fire in one of the buildings near the museum, The Museum of the Mouse remains very much "alive and well" and is one of the main tourist sights in the Golden Ring of Russia. Each year more than 100,000 people visit the town and its many museums.
Myshkin
Myshkin is a town and the administrative center of Myshkinsky District of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located on the steep left bank of the Volga. Population:...
in Yaroslavl Region, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Established in 1990, it is also uniquely known as the Mouse Museum for its collection of 2,000 mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
-related items from all over the globe. Mice made of various materials using diverse art techniques form a unique collection. Pieces have been gathered from different countries. In 1996, Myshkin held The International Festival "Mouse-96".
Every decade or so, when it is the Year of the Mouse
Rat (zodiac)
The Rat is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar, the Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol 子...
in the Chinese calendar
Chinese calendar
The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well...
, the town also holds a big celebration. The last such event was in 2008 and among the celebrants was President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
, who had a private tour of the town and was given a copy of The Town Named Mouse, an illustrated children's book in separate Russian and English editions written by Robert Aronson and illustrated by Marina Zorina.
The nonprofit Museum of the Mouse staff have also created and operate four other museums nearby--the Museum of Navigation, the Museum of Unique Machines (including an American school bus from Indiana), an outdoor Museum of Wooden Architecture and a Museum dedicated to the inventor of vodka, Smirnoff.
The website of the Museum of the Mouse is www.myshkingrad.ru (only in Russian, but with photos. The King-Myshaus site also operates a virtual Kingdom MouseLand. Contrary to reports, although there was a fire in one of the buildings near the museum, The Museum of the Mouse remains very much "alive and well" and is one of the main tourist sights in the Golden Ring of Russia. Each year more than 100,000 people visit the town and its many museums.